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for CHAPTER 3: THE PHRASE page 110

Infinitives
3i. An infinitive is a verb form that can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Most infini-
tives begin with to.

NOUN To write has long been my dream.

ADJECTIVE This is the coat to buy.
ADVERB Arthur was unable to sleep.
OMITTING TO Please let us [to] talk to Jan.

EXERCISE A Underline the infinitives in the sentences below.

Example 1. Let’s go.

1. With so many leaves and so little breeze, we should start to rake now.
2. Uncle Stan and I took the canoe out onto the lake to fish.
3. In Any Given Day, 98-year-old Jessie Foveaux had many entertaining memories to tell.
4. To succeed had always been Barbara’s goal for her golf game.
5. Rhode Island’s senator felt that in his position integrity was not too much to expect.
6. Is it true that to question is an indication of intelligence?
7. What made you laugh?
8. To live, you must dream.
9. Our team’s first wish for the final game of the season is to win.
10. On this record, will we hear Hoyt Axton sing?
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

EXERCISE B Underline the infinitives in the sentences below. Then, indicate how each infinitive in the
sentence is used by writing above it N for noun, ADJ for adjective, or ADV for adverb.
N N
Example 1. If Ellen could help me wash and dry, I could go home on time.

11. For you, what is the easiest number to remember?

12. To graduate has great significance in Judy’s family.
13. Before 7:00 A.M., sixty students had already logged on to register.
14. Why did Jim decide to leave early?
15. Because we had come to the park to camp and hike, Ben started setting up tents.

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Infinitive Phrases and Infinitive Clauses

3j. An infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive and any modifiers or complements the infinitive
has. The entire phrase can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

NOUN I want to nap before dinner, Joe.

ADJECTIVE Mr. Melomo is not the first to leave the factory.
ADVERB I was happy to hear about your job.

An infinitive clause consists of an infinitive with a subject and any modifiers and comple-
ments the infinitive has. The entire clause is used as a noun.
EXAMPLE The choir director wanted them to sing louder. [The clause is used as the direct
object of wanted. The pronoun them is the subject of to sing, and the adverb louder
modifies to sing.]

EXERCISE Above each of the underlined word groups, write IP for infinitive phrase or IC for infinitive
clause.
IC
Example 1. Who would have expected computers and programming to interest Lord Byron’s

daughter?

1. Augusta Ada Byron King seemed born to use words as effectively as her poet father had.
2. Her mother, Lady Byron, did not want to stress literary skills in Ada’s education.
3. Ada’s studies seemed to emphasize algebra, calculus, logic, and physics.
4. It was unusual during the early 1800s for a young woman to receive this type of education.
5. After meeting Charles Babbage in 1833, Ada was eager to learn more about his work.
6. Babbage was already working on a machine to replace his unfinished Difference Engine.

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

7. Ada used Babbage’s formulas in programming his new Analytical Engine to add, subtract,
multiply, and divide numbers in any requested sequence.

8. To show related branches being calculated within equations was Ada’s goal in using the
Bernoulli numbers found in trigonometry.
9. Among all the women to contribute to the computer industry, only Ada has had a language
named for her.

10. The military and the aerospace industry sometimes use the language Ada to power their com-
puter programs.

60 ELEMENTS OF LANGUAGE Fifth Course

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NAME CLASS DATE

GRAMMAR
for CHAPTER 3: THE PHRASE pages 110=112

Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases

3i. An infinitive is a verb form that can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Most
infinitives begin with to.

3j. An infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive and any modifiers or complements the infinitive
has. The entire phrase can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

INFINITIVE The top shelf was too high for him to reach.
INFINITIVE PHRASE To achieve your goals, you must work hard.

EXERCISE A In each sentence below, indicate whether the word to is part of an infinitive or of a preposi-
tional phrase by writing I for infinitive or P for preposition on the line provided.
I
Example _______ 1. Their request to visit the new aquarium was granted.

______ 1. To appear at a royal court is an honor.

______ 2. When the boats were due back, we ran down to the pier.
______ 3. There was nothing left for us to do at the end of the day.

______ 4. Evan was trying to help me with chemistry.

______ 5. Mr. Taosie gave the manuscript to the new editor.

EXERCISE B Underline the infinitive phrase in each sentence below.

Example 1. Have you gone to see the exhibit of Hiroshige’s work?

6. My uncle wanted to show me his new picture by Hiroshige.

7. To see an original print by Hiroshige is a joy.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

8. Most artists of his time liked to paint women or actors.

9. Hiroshige wanted to depict the natural world.
10. His first major job was to draw illustrations for a book.
11. Later, he went on to complete large sets of prints.
12. At some point he must have decided to concentrate on landscapes.
13. Hiroshige apparently loved to populate his pictures with human figures.
14. Many Western artists, including van Gogh, liked to imitate his scenes.
15. Hiroshige managed to produce over five thousand prints in his lifetime.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Language Skills Practice 61